1. The accident of Ma Long's outing
In May 2024, the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games are less than a year away. During this important preparation period, a surprising event occurred - the world table tennis champion Ma Long was eliminated in the last tournament.
The defeat occurred in the semifinals of the World Table Tennis Team Championships. Ma Long competed as world No. 1 against South Korea's Jang Woo-jin. From the point of view of strength and ranking, Ma Long obviously has an absolute advantage. But as soon as the game started, the tide turned. With her outstanding performance, Zhang Yuzhen defeated Ma Long 3:0 and advanced to the finals.
This result is undoubtedly shocking. After all, Malone has maintained excellent form in recent years and has achieved great results repeatedly. Not long ago, he won the men's singles title at the Table Tennis World Cup. Who would have thought that now he would face Waterloo in an important preparation match?
It's not just the results themselves that are surprising. After the game, Zhang Yuzhen was so excited that she ran wildly on the field to celebrate, and even had some provocative meaning. Ma Long, who lost the game, was very silent, and reluctantly glanced back when he left the table, as if he was feeling that he might be about to withdraw from this stage. What happened so that the always unstoppable Malone would make mistakes and setbacks at such a critical moment?
2. Analysis of the reasons for the loss
The main reasons for Ma Long's defeat are as follows:
Decreased fitness and condition
The article mentions that Malone has obvious physical and form decline problems in this competition. This was the main reason for the loss.
Although Ma Long is only 36 years old, as a professional athlete, years of high-intensity training and competitions have already caused his physical endurance to be depleted to a certain extent. Especially after the Tokyo Olympics, the national table tennis team relaxed Ma Long's investment in physical training and pre-match preparation, which made him seem powerless in the face of fierce competitions.
In contrast, the opponent Zhang Yuzhen can be described as a fierce fight, more active in attacking at critical moments, but showing a better physical state. This undoubtedly put a lot of pressure on Ma Long, who was at a disadvantage.
Preparation is not good
In addition to his physical condition, there may also be some problems with Malone's preparations. The article mentions that after the Tokyo Olympics, Liu Guoliang, the coach of the national table tennis team, thought that Ma Long might retire, so his support for training and preparation was also reduced.
Such a decision has undoubtedly brought adverse effects to Ma Long, who has always maintained his form. As a veteran who has been standing for more than a year, it is difficult for Ma Long to perform at the most critical moment if he does not receive enough physical training and preparation support.
The improvement of the opponent's strength
We can't ignore the impact of the opponent's improvement on Ma Long. The article mentions that Zhang Yuzhen has defeated Wang Chuqin before, which shows that his strength is not idle. In this competition, he successfully suppressed the world's No. 1 Ma Long with his excellent performance and active attack.
In this case, even if Malone has better abilities, he will inevitably fall into passivity at critical moments. After all, the improvement of the opponent's strength means that the difficulty of the game is also escalating, which is undoubtedly a big test for a veteran like Ma Long.
Based on the above points, we can see that Ma Long's defeat is not accidental, and there are some deep-seated reasons behind it. Whether it is the decline in physical fitness, the lack of preparation, or the improvement of the opponent's strength, these factors have affected Ma Long's performance to a certain extent, resulting in such a defeat.
3. Where does Malone go?
Ma Long's defeat this time is undoubtedly surprising and regrettable. As the leader of the Chinese table tennis team, he has maintained excellent results for a long time, and has also influenced and led the development of this project to a large extent. However, how did the great athlete cope with this turning point when he was contemplated with retirement?
First of all, we need to have an objective understanding of Ma Long's current situation. Although this defeat was a surprise, it also showed to a certain extent the decline in Ma Long's fitness and form. As a 36-year-old veteran, his career has entered its final stage. Coupled with the lack of preparation in recent years and the continuous improvement of the opponent's strength, Ma Long may face more pressure and challenges at the next critical moments.
So, what should Malone choose next? He has two possible ways out:
Decommissioning options
Given Malone's current condition, retirement is undoubtedly an option worth serious consideration. After all, the decline in physical condition and poor preparation for the competition have begun to affect his performance. Moreover, as the strength of the opponent continues to improve, Ma Long will also face more pressure in major competitions in the future.
The good thing about choosing to retire is that Malone can avoid suffering more blows and losses in increasingly intense competitions. At the same time, he can also clearly draw an end to his career and maintain his last glory.
Keep fighting
Of course, for Ma Long, who has been struggling on the table tennis court, putting down the racket can be a very difficult decision. He may choose to continue playing for his country and fight hard for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
If he chooses to continue fighting, Malone must put more effort into physical training and preparation. He needs the full support of the national table tennis team and re-equips a dedicated physical trainer to ensure that he can perform at his best at critical moments. At the same time, he also needs to adjust his mindset and take a more proactive and proactive stance against increasingly strong opponents.
Regardless of what Malone chooses in the end, we should respect his decision. As a legendary athlete, he has made great contributions to the cause of Chinese table tennis.